Johnson Winter Slattery (JWS) is a leading Australian law firmknown for advising corporates and funds on their most complextransactions, disputes and regulatory matters.

At JWS, we build authentic, long-term relationships and have adeep understanding of our clients and their industries. Our clientsdescribe us as pragmatic, strategic, commercial and easy to workwith.

Our firm is made up of more than 450 highly talented people,including 80+ partners, across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide,Canberra, Brisbane and Perth. JWS has also announced the opening ofa representative office in New York, strengthening our ability tosupport US clients investing in Australia. We are globallyconnected and have strong relationships with major independent lawfirms around the world.

JWS was recognised as Technology, Media and Telecom M&ALegal; Adviser of the Year (Mergermarket M&A; Awards Australia2023), Energy Law Firm of the Year (Best Lawyers 2023) andAustralian Law Firm of the Year (Beaton Client Choice Awards 2025).Our lawyers are highly ranked in Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 andthe Lexology Index (formerly Who's Who Legal).

We are strongly committed to social justice, responsiblebusiness and our diverse communities. We are proud of our pro bonoprogram, which focuses on supporting low-income, disadvantaged andmarginalised people in the Australian community.

About the Team

Our Corporate lawyers provide specialist legal advice to clientsacquiring, managing or divesting Australian investments, includingin Canberra, with a focus on M&A;, foreign investment, trade andprojects in defence, critical infrastructure, technology,agribusiness and health. They work closely with the other officesof JWS and major foreign law firms to meet the needs ofmultinational corporations operating in Australia, as well asAustralian enterprises with internationaloperations.





The Canberra team are experts at helping industry work withgovernment to protect and advance Australia’s national interests.JWS is the only national full-service law firm in Canberra actingfor the private sector on foreign investment, government projectsand M&A;, with 3 Chambers-listed partners.

About the Role

We are looking for an Associate (2-4 PQE) to join our CanberraCorporate team, working alongside leading partners on high-profile,complex corporate and commercial matters.

You’ll be hands-on from the outset, with the prospect to:

- draft, review and negotiate key transaction documents;
- undertake due diligence and coordinate specialist teamsacross complex matters;
- work through challenging legal and commercial issues;and
- play an active role in delivering practical, strategicadvice to clients.

You’ll work closely with partners and have genuine exposure tosignificant matters and sophisticated clients, supported bytraining and mentoring from leading specialists in the sector.

As you develop, you’ll also have the opportunity to take greaterownership of matters and support and mentor junior members of theteam.

About You

You’re technically strong, commercially minded and ready to takeon more responsibility. Just as importantly, you enjoy workingcollaboratively and building trusted relationships with clients andcolleagues.

You:

- bring a commercial, client-focused mindset to youradvice;
- are confident working through complex matters, competingpriorities and tight deadlines;
- communicate clearly and build strong relationships withclients, colleagues and stakeholders;
- bring energy, curiosity and a collaborative approach toyour work; and
- have relevant private practice commercial law experience.Recent experience acting for the Commonwealth on complexprocurements (e.g.,



Department of Defence CapabilityAcquisition and Sustainment Group) or engaging withCommonwealth Government agencies acting as regulators will behighly regarded.

Working at JWS

We value collaboration, and our teams work together to achieveshared outcomes. We care about the wellbeing of our people and willinvest time in understanding your objectives so we can support youthroughout your career. We believe this focus on our people hasseen our firm grow rapidly to become one of Australia’s leadingindependent law firms.

We pride ourselves on being down-to-earth, approachable andalways high-performing. We have worked hard to create a culturewhere people look out for each other.

We offer:

- A collegiate environment with a collaborative cultureacross offices and practice groups
- High-quality work with committed mentors supporting yourcareer development
- Comprehensive benefits, including competitive remuneration,adaptable working, and extensive social and wellbeinginitiatives
- Opportunities to work with major foreign law firms oninternational and cross-border matters
- Opportunities for professional growth through structuredlearning and development programs, pro bono work, and employeerecognition initiatives

If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunityto take your career to the next level, we would love to hear fromyou.

We are committed to promoting a workplace that is diverseand inclusive. We encourage the best people, regardless of race,religion or belief (if any), gender, gender identity, disability,sexual orientation or age, to pursue their professional aspirationswith us. In particular, we would welcome applications from FirstNations candidates.

Johnson Winter Slattery pays respect to Elders past andpresent of our nation’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islandercommunities. We honour the deep spiritual, cultural and customaryconnections of Traditional Owners to the Australian landscape,including Australia’s waterways, land and sea country.

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📌 Associate - Corporate (3 PQE) (Canberra)
🏢 Johnson Winter Slattery
📍 Canberra